What's in a Name?
by Tmyres77
Summary: 86 thinks is new partner is groovy, but however is he going to find out her name?


**What's in a Name?**

_Disclaimer: I don't own "Get Smart." I'm just playing with the characters for my own amusement._

Maxwell Smart was one happy man. Not only had he'd just defeated KAOS' newest Mr. Big, but he'd been teamed up with one of the best agents in CONTROL – himself excluded of course – not to mention one of the prettiest. Even dressed in a chauffeur's uniform, she was gorgeous. 99. He liked the sound of it. 99 was a great number. No pun intended, he thought to himself with a smile, absurdly pleased with his cleverness.

99. He would wager her name was even more beautiful than her number. Her name … hold the phone! He hadn't gotten her name yet. He came to a dead halt in the middle of the airport, causing 99, who was following closely behind, to walk to directly into him.

"Oompf!"

Max turned around quickly. "Sorry about that, 99," he apologized and placed a hand on her waist to steady her. He was surprised to realize how soft she was. "I, uh…that is," he stumbled over his words, instantly forgetting what he had been about to say. 99, apparently used to this reaction from men, simply smiled at him and gently removed his hand from her waist.

"That's all right, 86," she assured him. She couldn't help but notice the goofy look that spread across his face as her hand briefly held his.

"You can call me Max."

"Max," she smiled.

"And what should I call you?" he asked suavely.

"Well, you could –" she started to reply, but was interrupted as a loud voice crackled over the speakers announcing the final call for Flight 672 from New York to Washington, D.C. Flashing a worried glance at the clock on a nearby wall, she dropper her hand from his/

"We'd better hurry Max! That was the last call." She picked up her bag and hurried over to the gate.

All Max could do was sigh in frustration. He had missed it by that much. Frowning, he grabbed his luggage and followed his new partner. He consoled himself with the though that there'd be plenty of time up in the air to learn the lovely agent's name.

XXX

It was only 20 minutes into the flight until Maxwell Smart was completely bored. He had made two trips to the bathroom, eaten three bags of peanuts and drank four cups of coffee. He would have had five, but the stewardess had refused to serve him any more caffeine. He wasn't quite sure what to make of her comment about jittery little men with little beady eyes, but 99 had quickly assured him that "no, of course she wasn't referring to you" and that was really all the assurance that Max needed.

He thought about reaching over and opening the window cover to look at the night sky, but that would require him to lean over 99's lap. He wasn't necessarily opposed to the idea – in fact he thought it might be fun – but he wasn't so sure that she'd find it as much fun as he would.

_Better not for now_, he decided. Maybe on their next trip … after he'd gotten to know her a little bit better. He glanced over at his new partner. Her head was tilted back and her eyes were closed, hands folded neatly in her lap. Gazing at her, he couldn't help but notice how extremely peaceful she looked. Leaning closer, he brought his lips to her ear.

"99!"

The young agent shot forward, eyes springing open.

"What! What's wrong?!"

Max looked at her in surprise. "Wrong? Why would something be wrong?"

She stared at him. "Max, you shouted my name. Usually, that means something's wrong."

"People shout when they're happy," he quickly pointed out.

"Not when they're two inches away from the other person, they don't."

Max lowered his head, a sheepish grin forming on his face. "Oh. Sorry about that, 99. I, uh, didn't mean to shout at you. I was just wondering if you were going to eat your peanuts." He pointed at the unopened bag that lay on her lap.

"Oh." She frowned slightly. She didn't know what she'd been expecting him to say, but a request for peanuts definitely wasn't it. She took the bag and offered it to Max.

"Gee thanks, 99. I love these things!" His hand covered hers as he took the peanuts. He paused, letting his hand rest briefly on hers. "Um, 99?"

"Yes, Max?" She gently extracted her hand from his and wondered if that was going to become a regular habit.

"I want to…um…show you something." Nodding to himself, he quickly realized that now was the perfect time to try to discover his lovely partner's name. "I want to get your opinion on it."

She looked at him with a mixture of curiosity and amusement. "All right." Her amusement quickly turned to concern as Max shoved a hand into his right pants pocket.

"Um, Max, what are you doing?" 99 considered herself a fair judge of character and right when she had met him, 86 had struck her as being a nice, straightforward – if not a little awkward – agent. But then again, she had been wrong about Agent 43. She gave a slight shudder as she remembered that incident.

"Max?" She sighed in relief as he pulled out his wallet and removed his driver's license.

"Got it! What do you think?" he asked, waving it in front of her face.

She reached up and closed her hand around his wrist. "I can't see it if you're moving it back and forth," she laughed.

He stilled his hand. "Oh. Sorry."

99 took the license and read aloud. "Maxwell Smart." She glanced at his address. "Oh! You live on the other side of town."

"The other side?" he frowned. "Do you live by the river?"

"Yes. Very near to Arlington," 99 told him.

Max's eyes lit up with excitement. "I'm over there all the time. I love visiting the Lincoln Memorial."

"Me too," 99 agreed, smiling at him. "We'll have to visit it together sometime."

Max grinned. "Yes, we will." He paused for a moment, trying to remember why he had taken his license out in the first place. His new partner sure did have a way of making him forget things – even more so than usual. He frowned. He'd have to work on that. He frowned again as he realized that he still hadn't accomplished what he'd set out to do. Focusing his attention back on 99, he looked at her expectantly.

"So now that I've shown you mine, are you going to show me yours?" he asked with a big smile.

99 looked at him incredulously. "Excuse me?"

"Your license." Max looked perplexed at her tone. "What did you think I meant?"

"Oh! My license!" 99 laughed lightly and then gazed at Max with bright eyes. "You're not at all like Agent 43, are you?"

He looked confused. "Wha?"

"Nothing. Just an observation." She waved her hand dismissing the thought. "But I'm afraid I don't have my license with me. It's in my bag." Noticing his disappointed look, she asked, "Is something wrong?"

"No, no," he replied quickly. "I just wanted to double check your…uh…eye color. Yeah! That's it."

"All you have to do is look, Max," she laughed and leaned in closer so he could get a better look. Max brought his face closer toward hers, focusing on her earnest gaze.

"Figured it out yet?" she smiled.

"Mmmhmm. They're blue…like the sky on a clear day," he murmured, then realizing what he had said, pulled back and cleared his throat as his face turned a dull shade of red.

99 took his hand in concern. "Max, are you all right? You look flushed."

"I'm fine 99," he assured her, weaving his fingers through hers. "Just a little dizzy."

He wasn't quite sure why he was suddenly dizzy or what exactly was causing him to feel the way he was currently feeling, but he was willing to wager it had something to do with the deep blue eyes of the brunette agent sitting next to him.

"I think I need a drink."

"But the stewardess said you weren't allowed any more coffee," 99 reminded him.

"I don't want coffee." He raised his hand and motioned for the stewardess who came over with a stern look on her face.

"I told you no more coffee, sir."

"I don't want a coffee," Max cut her off. "I'd like a martini."

99 looked at him in concern. "Do you drink often, 86?" She had been excited at being partnered with the famous Agent 86, but she wasn't so sure if he was going to turn out to be one of those agents who tended to overindulge.

Max noticed the change in her demeanor and the subtle dropping of his first name.

"No, not often, 99," he promised her. "Just every once in a while. I'm more of a social drinker. Just to help me relax."

"Oh." She thought for a moment before leaning over and innocently suggesting, "Well, I'm sure there are other ways you can relax."

Max closed his eyes and let out a long sigh, wondering if the young agent was totally oblivious to the effect she was having on him.

"What's wrong, Max?"

"Eh … nothing, 99. I just got a chill, that's all," he lied, noting that she was back to using his first name again.

99 seemed to accept his answer and leaned back, once again closing her eyes.

Max watched her return to the sleep he had interrupted. Suddenly, he wasn't sure he liked the idea of being partnered with this new, young agent. He knew from the buzz around CONTROL that 99 was an up-and-coming agent – excelling at the top of her recruit class. But the buzz hadn't mentioned anything about the agent being a young, beautiful woman.

Young. Max couldn't help but keep coming back to that. There was no doubt about it. 99 was a good deal younger than he. But, he told himself, age differences had never mattered in any of his relationships before. Even with all of his bumbling, he managed to get the ladies. After all, he was a debonair, mature spy, and he had no qualms about using that to his advantage when pursuing the opposite sex.

But for some reason, this was different. 99 was different. He already knew there would be no casual affair with 99. No last hurrah and then off to the next beautiful girl. And, not just because she was his partner. That wasn't the reason. But much to Max's dismay, he couldn't out his finger on what exactly was keeping him from pursuing what, by all accounts, could be a pleasant interlude.

This girl was different. This … 99 … this … drat!

"I still don't know her name," he muttered. Leaning over, he gently nudged her. "99 … psst. Are you asleep?"

She mumbled something unintelligible and shifted in her seat. Max pursed his lips together, debating whether he should wake her up for a second time. After a moment, he decided to not bother with it. Leaning back, he situated himself in his seat and closed his eyes, content in the knowledge that there would be many more missions to learn the identity of his intelligent and, for now, nameless partner.


End file.
